Stool examination and reports in the traveller.

Diarrhea is by far the most common illness in a returning traveller, so family physicians frequently request stool examination for these patients. Appropriate history and adequate specimens, obtained on three or four different days, are crucial to proper interpretation of results. Decisions on treatment will depend on the patient's current symptoms and type of pathogen. Not all pathogens require treatment and not all reported parasites are pathogenic. The patient's lifestyle and occupation may influence decision-making on treatment of asymptomatic carriers of certain parasites or bacterial intestinal pathogens. Guidelines for such decision-making are presented.